Building Better Futures

Admissions

Process

GGS currently provides care for young people aged between 10 - 16 years whom will normally have a record of educational and/or care difficulties. GGS will focus primarily on those who have placement breakdowns in both family-based care and other SEMH based establishments. The majority of the young people we educate will be experiencing some form of learning disabilities and relationship difficulties. We also have the resources to deal with inappropriate sexualised behaviours, attachment disorders, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder and social communication difficulties.

Initial contact may be made to the school by families or the relevant authority. It is helpful if families could send in a copy of the child’s Education, Health & Care Plans and up to date reports including the last SEN annual review report and actions. The families will be invited to make an informal visit to see the school in action and meet with members of staff to discuss their child’s needs. To arrange to visit to Grafham Grange, please contact the School Office on 01483 892214.

Initial enquiries from the Local Authorities should be made by telephone or by submitting papers to the School office.

We will look objectively at every referral made to us and base our decision on whether we can meet that young person’s needs, taking into account the dynamics of the young people accommodated in the School at that time. We are unable to accommodate young people requiring long term nursing care. Placing Authorities will provide us with the appropriate paperwork, which will allow us to assess the level of need of the young person.

We will also consider their safety and the potential risks they may present to others within the school and the wider community. If we feel that we can accommodate the young person we will plan the admission.

Planned Admission

We expect young people, wherever possible, to be involved in the placement planning process, so that they are able to take some ownership for their move to GGS. We will liaise with the young person and their family or carers, to gather as much information about the young person as possible and to give information about the service and facilities we provide.

We will organise for staff to visit the young person at their existing placement, whenever possible, to talk to the young person and answer any questions they may have and try and put some of their fears to rest. They may also talk to staff at the current placement to gain some insight into achievements, problems and behaviours of the young person.

When possible, arrangements will be made for the young person to visit GGS for a few hours; to meet some of the staff team and to have a look around the school. During this process we will try and identify a member of staff to whom the young person relates well and on the day of admission we will organise for that member of staff to be on duty for the evening the young person arrives and for the following morning when they wake up.

We will typically allocate a Key Worker within one week, as this allows us to consult the young person about compatibility with the adult with whom they will be working.

GGS will adopt a cautious approach to accelerating admissions and will only proceed where there is a high degree of confidence in our ability to meet the needs of the young person. Where a young person is accepted, it will be for a period of time in which extra resources may need to be put in place to ensure the safety of the young person and the potential risks they may present to others within the school and the wider community. Although our aim to utilise all of the normal admission procedure, it must be recognised that this will not always be possible and some pre-admission procedures may have to be concluded subsequently.

However, as a minimum we will require the following information:

Presenting problems.

Other significant behaviours.

Social Workers report.

Education report.

Results of any mental health assessment.

Family background.

We will also require referral information to be provided in full and for the Social Worker to complete the relevant LAC paperwork; either prior to or during the admission meeting, which we may require, to be held on the day the young person moves into the school.

Refer to the Trust Admissions Policy and related school procedures for further information

Fees are a matter reserved by the Charity Trust and pupils placing Local Authority.